5 ms·
"1.2 newtons per megawatt is... not a lot of thrust" If I recall the previous conversations correctly - the amount of thrust is irrelevant, because in space yo
by laurencei 10y ago
"1.2 newtons per megawatt is... not a lot of thrust"
If I recall the previous conversations correctly - the amount of thrust is irrelevant, because in space you continually apply that thrust over time, and eventually reach ridiculously high speeds?
- AnimalMuppet 10y agoThe amount of thrust is relevant if something like ion drives gives you more thrust for the same power. Of course, with something like an ion drive, you're throwing mass out the back, and eventually you run out of mass. (On the other hand, eventually you run out of the ability to generate power, too...) [Edit: The bigger picture is that, for this to work at all, there probably needs to be some kind of new physics here. If there is, this device probably only exploits it by accident (no matter how much the inventor may think he knows what's going on). Once we figure out what the new physics is, newer devices may be much more efficient.]
- stouset 10y agoIf you're generating multi-MW in space, you have to do something about all that heat anyway so I'm not sure this is an improvement over an ion drive. That said, yes, the important thing is that this potentially indicates new science, which is exciting. When we understand it, we can likely improve the efficiency greatly. Assuming the effect is real.
- akiselev 10y agoSince there's no drag the thermal system isn't as constrained in space as it would be for a car or aircraft. If you assemble the final spacecraft in orbit, all that matters is mass so you can create very high surface area radiators that are extremely efficient as long as they're a few AU from the nearest star (or pointed in different direction). It'd probably be as big or bigger than a solar sail but it would use the sails to emit photons instead of absorbing them and itd work far from any star.
- stouset 10y agoThat's actually really clever!
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- ethbro 10y agoIsn't the important thing from a practical perspective (agreed that the new science aspect is more interesting) that if proved this has near infinite specific impulse? (As bizarre as that sounds) From an interstellar transport standpoint, that would seem a game changer. At minimum, slipping the bounds of the rocket equation and being able to accelerate an endlessly looping hulk to closer-to-c velocities seems fascinating. I'm curious what the specific impulse numbers look like given the hypothetical conversion rate on this powered by pure fusion.
- jbmorgado 10y agoIt's an order of magnitude higher than a laser sail which is part of NASA projects for some missions. So that already makes 1.2 N/MW pretty good. Also, remember that the EM drive doesn't need to carry combustible fuel to work, it could do with a fusion reactor in the future and that would save a lot of mass in the spaceship.
- rdtsc 10y agoHow about the ability to dissipate that much heat? I imagine it would be an issue in vacuum, but I don't know much about space technology, just a guess.
- bastawhiz 10y agoAllow me to introduce you to the intergalactic crock pot. The most tender roast beef you'll ever taste, by the time you exit the solar system.